Tag: mental health

Can Social Media Reduce Depression In Older Adults With Chronic Pain?

A recent study examined how social media use affected the mental health of elderly adults living with pain.

There’s been lots of information put forward about the toll that social media can take on our mental health, with excessive use of social media linked to depression and addictive behaviors.

However, a new study indicates that there may be a silver lining: social media use might be associated with lower depression levels in older adults with pain.

The study, published in Journals of Gerontology, Series B and reported by Reuters Health, followed 3,401 people ages 67 or older. The people in the study all lived in the community, rather than in an assisted living or nursing facility, and 54% of them said they’d been bothered by pain in the past month.

Researchers found that among people with pain, 15% of those who did not use social media showed signs of depression. That dropped to just 6% among people who did engage with social media.

“Using online social media to maintain contact with family members and friends is a good way to compensate for seniors who restrict their social activities due to pain. It is not going to replace seeing people in person, but it will help supplement their reduced activities,” said Shannon Ang, a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and co-author of the study. “For us, this study is about preserving mental health.”

Despite the connection with better mental health, only 17% of participants were using social media, Ang found. He said that programs that teach the elderly how to use computers and engage online could be beneficial.

In the future, Ang wants to research the connection between social media and mental health further, looking at what social media platforms and patterns of use are most closely connected with mental health benefits.

Healthcare providers say it isn’t necessarily surprising that social media could reduce depression symptoms, since it can alleviate feelings of isolation.

“It’s very well known that social support is helpful for depression and physical symptoms. It’s a growing area of interest in research and clinical care,” said Dr. William Pirl of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, who wasn’t involved in the study.

However, people should proceed with caution, Pirl said.

“People respond differently to it. Some people can become more anxious hearing other peoples’ stories or about other treatments for what they’re experiencing. There’s a lot of variability of whether social media is right for you.”

View the original article at thefix.com

16 October 2018
Verne Troyer's Cause Of Death Revealed

The Austin Powers actor had been battling alcohol addiction in the limelight for over a decade.

Months after his passing in April, Verne Troyer’s cause of death has been determined.

On Wednesday (Oct. 10) the Los Angeles County coroner’s office ruled the actor’s death a suicide by “sequelae of alcohol intoxication.” (Sequelae is defined as a condition that is a result of previous disease or injury.) Troyer died of multiple organ failure on April 21, 2018. He was 49.

“Based on the history and circumstances as currently known, the manner of death is suicide,” said Deputy Medical Examiner Martina Kennedy in the coroner’s report.

The Austin Powers actor had been battling alcohol addiction in the limelight for over a decade. He had been in treatment twice by 2016, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Troyer also appeared in the films Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Love Guru.

In 2016, he said that he had cut down on his drinking. “[I’m] sober… I mean, I drink occasionally, but not to the extreme that I did.”

In April 2017, the actor released a statement after being hospitalized for alcohol addiction. “As you know, I’ve battled alcohol addiction in the past and while it’s not always been an easy fight, I’m willing to continue my fight day by day,” he posted on social media.

He said at the time that he had been receiving treatment and will “continue to get the help that I need.”

But a year later, he ended up in the hospital again with a blood alcohol content more than three times the legal limit.

“The actor called 911 himself, repeatedly saying on the call and when he arrived to the emergency room that he wanted to die,” according to the Washington Post. Again, he announced that he would enter a treatment program. Troyer died just weeks later.

“Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible,” read a statement on his social media accounts on the day of his passing. “Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday.”

The post continued: “Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. Over the years he’s struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much.”

View the original article at thefix.com

12 October 2018
Demand For Mental Health Resources Not Being Met On College Campuses

One mental health professional estimates that almost half of colleges students who need services are not receiving them.

College is a stressful transition for many—that’s apparent from recent mental health numbers.

According to Deseret News, greater numbers of college students are facing mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, and as such, the number of students seeking help on campuses has increased.

Ben Locke, executive director of the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Pennsylvania State University, tells Deseret News that the demand for mental health services is growing rapidly—about five to six times faster than enrollment. He says that since enrollment numbers help fund such services, it’s difficult for some colleges to fulfill the demand.

The Center for Collegiate Mental Health has found that of the students seeking help, 70% have anxiety. Of those, 25% consider anxiety their main concern. These numbers, according to Deseret News, are based on 2017 data covering 160,014 students at 160 colleges.

Additionally, a 2017 American College Health Association Survey of 63,000 students discovered that 2 in 5 students would say they are so depressed that they “struggled to function,” and 3 in 5 had felt “overwhelming anxiety” in the previous year.

According to experts, college students may be particularly prone to such mental health struggles because of the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

And it isn’t just the volume of students that’s an issue. According to Daniel Eisenberg, professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan and director of the Healthy Minds Network, students’ symptoms are growing more severe.

According to Eisenberg’s data, almost half of students who need services are not receiving them.

Randy P. Auerbach of Columbia University and lead author of a study about mental health in college students worldwide, says the problem needs to be addressed.

“We are seeing debilitating levels of anxiety that are more and more common—where, by the time they get to college, students are so worried about different aspects of their lives it can be a real problem. Students struggling with very severe symptoms who don’t get treatment are likely to have consequences.”

On some campuses, students are taking the matter into their own hands. At the University of Michigan, student body president Bobby Dishell and some of his peers had begun a program called the Wolverine Support Network. The idea was that students could form small groups and offer one another support.

Sam Orley, whose brother George took his own life when he was a student at the university, served as the executive director of the program. Orley said that rather than being a program for mental illness, the Wolverine Support Network is a “holistic mental health and well-being effort.”

In some cases, the struggles college students are facing may be downplayed, according to Kelly Davis, director of peer advocacy, supports and services for Mental Health America.

“There’s a lot of condescension—dismissal of how hard that period of life is,” Davis told Deseret News.

Last spring, Deseret News sat down with students to discuss their fears and worries. Topping the list were fear of missing out, fear of failure and job competition.

“The bar is just so high for everything,” one student said in conclusion.

View the original article at thefix.com

11 October 2018
How To Tell If A Child Is Battling Anxiety

Though child anxiety can sometimes take longer to diagnose, it is very treatable once diagnosed.

What initially appears as bad behavior in children can actually be signs of an underlying issue — anxiety disorders.

According to the Washington Post, anxiety disorders are increasing in youth, especially during the school year.

A study recently published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics makes the estimate that about 2 million children and adolescents in the U.S. have a diagnosable anxiety disorder.

When it comes to anxiety in children, it can be difficult to diagnose since it can present as negative behaviors.

“We tend to think of anxious children as these delicate little butterflies, but when kids are scared, they can be ferocious about trying to escape or avoid anxiety-provoking situations,” Eileen Kennedy-Moore, child psychologist and author of Kid Confidence, told the Post.

Susan Newman, psychologist and author of The Book of No, explains that sometimes children can have feelings of anxiety for the first time and don’t always know how to react.

“Children today are stressed on so many fronts: challenged socially, academically, having to cope with physical changes and development, the demands and influence of social media, trying to fit in and be accepted. It’s no wonder they show evidence of anxiety,” Newman told the Post. “Parents should ask questions about anything they notice or want to understand to show their interest and love for their child. Children want to be heard and listened to, even if they tell you to stop being nosy.”

When it comes to anxiety in children, there are some warning signs, though all children differ. One, according to the Post, is psychosomatic complaints.

“Kids don’t usually come home from school saying, ‘I felt really anxious at school today,’ but they do say things like, ‘I have a terrible stomachache; I can’t go back to school tomorrow,’” the Post notes. “Frequent stomach aches, headaches and unexplained muscle aches and pains can all be symptoms of anxiety.”

Other signs include anger and irritability, sadness, isolation and avoidance, fatigue, poor concentration, school refusal and frequent questions.

Just like signs of anxiety can differ from child to child, so can triggers. Triggers can include genetics, academic pressure, bullying, big transitions, loss and violence or abuse.

Though child anxiety can sometimes take longer to diagnose, it is very treatable when that diagnosis is made, according to the Post. Through identifying triggers and learning coping skills, children and parents can learn to take control of anxiety.

“A pediatrician is a good first stop to rule out or diagnose possible medical issues and to refer a licensed mental health practitioner who specializes in working with children,” the Post reads. “Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy can be very effective treatment options for children with anxiety.”

View the original article at thefix.com

11 October 2018
Lady Gaga & WHO Director Pen Essay For World Mental Health Day

The duo call for additional treatment funding and the need for governments to better prioritize mental wellness in the essay.

Mental health issues are universal—and costly without proper treatment—so why is mental illness still a taboo subject?

That question is raised by Lady Gaga and Tedros Adhanom, director-general of the World Health Organization, in a new essay published in the Guardian on the eve of World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10): “800,000 people kill themselves every year. What can we do?”

This annual statistic translates to “more than the population of Washington, D.C., Oslo or Cape Town,” they write. “Sometimes they are famous names such as Anthony Bourdain or Kate Spade that make headlines, but they are all sons or daughters, friends or colleagues, valued members of families and communities.”

Globally, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds, yet mental health receives less than 1% of global aid, they write.

This lack of funding translates to a higher cost overall—mental health issues cost $2.5 trillion a year globally, which will keep rising if they continue to be excluded from the conversation.

“Stigma, fear and lack of understanding compound the suffering of those affected and prevent the bold action that is so desperately needed and so long overdue,” they write.

Gaga (born Stefani Germanotta) and Adhanom urge governments to invest in mental health services, saying it will not only help individuals but benefit state coffers as well.

“Research shows there is a fourfold return on investment for every dollar spent on treating depression and anxiety, the most common mental health conditions, making spending on the issue a great investment for both political leaders and employers, in addition to generating savings in the health sector,” they write.”

Individuals have a part to play too, by supporting one another and urging lawmakers to make mental health a priority. “We can all help to build communities that understand, respect and prioritize mental wellness,” they write.

The essay cites local efforts that are moving the momentum in a positive direction, such as the ThriveNYC initiative in New York City.

Germanotta—who previously revealed that she lives with PTSD—spearheads the Born This Way Foundation, established in 2012, with her mother Cynthia Germanotta. The foundation focuses on young people with the goal of creating a “kinder and braver world.”

View the original article at thefix.com

10 October 2018
Everyday Changes That Can Improve Depression Symptoms

Experts offer a few tips on how to manage symptoms of depression.

Depression is a serious disease that can require treatment with therapy and pharmaceuticals, but mental health professionals also say that making lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms.

Considering that depression rates have increased 33% in five years, it seems that more people than ever are paying attention to their mental health and prioritizing their wellbeing.

Here are some changes that you can implement today in order to help control your symptoms of depression.

Focus on gut health.

Understanding how our microbiome works is the next frontier in medicine and it affects much more than just your gut health.

“There’s been an explosion of interest in the connections between the microbiome and the brain,” Emeran Mayer, a gastroenterologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, told The Atlantic.

Your gut contains large amounts of the same neurotransmitters that keep communication running smoothly in your brain, including GABA, dopamine and serotonin. That’s why Alison Stone, a New York-based therapist told Well and Good that the gut is basically the “second brain.”

Avoiding sugar, processed food and alcohol can help reduce inflammation and improve gut health, which in turn can reduce symptoms of depression.

“In addition to affecting our dopamine and GABA production [‘happy chemicals’ needed for healthy brain functioning] it’s estimated that the gut is responsible for up to 90% of the body’s serotonin production,” Stone said. “Since inflammation has been linked to depression, following an anti-inflammatory diet is an important step in creating a happy, healthy gut.”

Socialize in person, not online.

While social media has been linked to feeling down, getting together with friends in person will boost your mental wellbeing, especially during the cold winter months when people tend to hibernate inside.

“I cannot emphasize the importance of human connection enough, especially now that we’re living in a world where technology has replaced many face-to-face interactions and altered the way we belong to communities,” Stone said.

Meet a friend for a walk, attend a meeting or catch up over coffee. Research shows these social relationships will improve your health.

Care for your physical health with exercise and sleep.

Sleep and exercise are some of the most basic ingredients for healthy living, but too often they’re overlooked. This can have consequences for both physical and mental health. If revamping your sleep and exercise schedules feels overwhelming, start small.

“Even 15-20 minutes of moderate walking per day is better than nothing,” Stone said.

That small amount of physical activity, coupled with a bit more sleep, will help improve your mood.

View the original article at thefix.com

9 October 2018
Chance The Rapper Pledges $1 Million For Mental Health

“We want to change the way that mental health resources are being accessed,” Chance said at a summit for his nonprofit, SocialWorks.

As one of the more prominent hip hop artists to speak out about mental health, Chance the Rapper is putting his money where his mouth is by pledging $1 million to mental health services in Chicago.

According to Rolling Stone, this is part of a new mental health initiative that Chance has launched called My State of Mind, which could grow into a major resource for people in the Chicago area who need help.

As part of this initiative, six mental health wellness providers in Chicago will receive grants for $100,000 each.

Chance announced his pledge at a summit for his nonprofit SocialWorks, stating, “We want to change the way that mental health resources are being accessed. We need a new space where people can get information on how they feel, on where to go and a network for us to interact and review our mental health spaces, and create a community of people helping people.”

Chance has seen a lot of devastation in the south side of Chicago, a large part of the city which has been ravaged by gun violence.

Brad Stolbach, a clinical director at a Chicago treatment center, told The Root, “Every time a person gets shot, especially a young person, there are literally hundreds of people who are affected by that shooting.”

Stolbach adds that the victims left behind are “not thought about.”

Research studies showed that areas that have the most gun violence also have the highest rates of hospitalization for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among other mental health disorders.

When Chicago cut $113.7 million in funds for mental health services, Chance spoke out against the Mayor Rahm Emanuel for closing down six mental health clinics in 2012.

Last year, Chance the Rapper told Complex, “A really big conversation and idea that I’m getting introduced to right now is black mental health. Cause for a long time that wasn’t a thing that we talked about. I don’t remember, when I was growing up, that really being a thing. Now I’m starting to get a better understanding of that part of my life.”

Even though Chance experienced traumatic events growing up, he added, “I don’t ever want to convince myself that I’m hindered by any of my experiences. There’s definitely a lot of things that have happened in my life that would cause me to think a certain way or feel a certain way. But I don’t label those experiences as traumatic events. They are events that were paradigm shifts in my life, but I don’t know if they caused a disadvantage.”

View the original article at thefix.com

9 October 2018
New Jersey May Require Depression Screenings For Students

A new bill aims to address undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues in school-aged children.

Some New Jersey lawmakers are taking a stand against undiagnosed depression in youth by drafting a bill that would require annual screenings.

According to New Jersey 101.5, if the bill were to pass, students in New Jersey would have to be screened for depression about six times in the time leading up to high school graduation.

The bill comes in the wake of a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, stating that young people should be screened for depression each year. If passed, it would require that public school students in grades 7 through 12 be screened once per year.

“Tragically, far too few people that suffer from mental illness actually get diagnosed,” Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington), primary bill sponsor and chair of the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee, said at a recent hearing, according to 101.5. “For those who screen positive, information will be sent to the parents and the parents can get their child the care that they need.”

The screening would consist of a two-question survey and could be given by a “qualified professional” at public schools. By the bill’s definition, this means a school psychologist, school nurse, school counselor, student assistance coordinator, school social worker or physician.

According to Conaway, parents would have the choice of opting out of the screening for their child, which current laws also allow for other types of physical health screenings.

While the intent of the bill is understood, there is still some opposition, according to 101.5.

Debbie Bradley, director of government relations for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, tells 101.5 that the potential passing of the bill would impact understaffing at schools even more. As such, combining the screening with annual physicals is an idea that has been broached.

“Many of our members suggested that this system be integrated with the current annual physicals that many parents bring their students to,” Bradley said.

Conaway reiterated the importance of the bill by citing a study that discovered the number of children and teenagers hospitalized for thoughts of suicide climbed more than 100% from 2008 to 2015.

If passed, the bill would allow for confidential data collection. The data would be forwarded to the Department of Education and Department of Health, then studied for statewide trends.

View the original article at thefix.com

8 October 2018
Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington's Widow Appear In Suicide Prevention PSA

The cast of ABC’s “A Million Little Things” also appear in the mental health PSA.

The family of Chester Bennington appear in a new suicide prevention PSA, continuing the Linkin Park vocalist’s legacy through mental health advocacy.

Linkin Park bandmate Mike Shinoda and Bennington’s widow, Talinda Bennington, appear alongside the cast of A Million Little Things, a new ABC drama about losing a friend to suicide. The PSA aired during the premiere of the show last Wednesday (Sept. 26).

“We lost our fictional friend to suicide,” says actor James Roday, who plays Gary Mendez on the show. “And we lost our very real friend,” says Shinoda.

Chester Bennington died by suicide in the summer of 2017. He was 41. Since his passing, his widow Talinda has become the face of mental health advocacy and suicide prevention.

Through social media, Bennington has been able to open a dialogue with grieving fans and promote efforts to raise awareness of the warning signs of depression and suicidal thoughts.

“The passing of my husband cannot be in vain,” she said this year. “His passing was a catalyst for opening up dialogue with respect to emotional and mental health. Throughout his life, he saved countless lives with his music and philanthropy. And through his death, he continues to save lives by spotlighting the urgent need for a change in our mental health culture.”

On what would have been her husband’s 42nd birthday this past March, Bennington encouraged fans to learn the Five Signs of Emotional Suffering. She is hoping to “change the culture of mental health” so that people who are struggling, and their family members, can address it openly and feel comfortable to seek help.

“I am now more educated about [the warning] signs, but they were definitely there: the hopelessness, the change of behavior, isolation,” she said during a CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper in June.

A Million Little Things is a new show on ABC that confronts the reality of losing a friend to suicide. The cast of friends and family—played by Romany Malco, Grace Park, James Roday, David Giuntoli (whose character Eddie credits his late friend for his recovery) and more—are left to cope with the fact that their friend Jon (played by Ron Livingston) is gone.

“Jon was the one who made the plans, who brought everybody together. They all relied on him. Now he’s no longer there, and they’re going to have to figure out what their new role is,” said Stephanie Szostak, who plays Jon’s wife Delilah.

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that suicide rates in the United States “have been rising in nearly every state.”

In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans age 10 or older died by suicide.

As for the “why” behind Jon’s passing, actor Livingston said he’s not focusing on that. “I decided early on to resist the urge to try to find the answer to why this guy did this. Suicide takes people in different ways for myriad reasons,” he said.

View the original article at thefix.com

5 October 2018
Mayoral Candidate Leaves Race To Deal With PTSD, Depression

“I thought if I focused exclusively on service to my neighbors in my hometown, that I could fill the hole inside of me. But it’s just getting worse.”

A Kansas City mayoral candidate and veteran of the war in Afghanistan has dropped out of the race in order to address his post-traumatic stress disorder.

Jason Kander, a rising Democratic star, reached a campaign milestone last week, but instead of celebrating the occasion he found himself reaching out for help.

“Last Tuesday, I found out that we were going to raise more money than any Kansas City mayoral campaign ever has in a single quarter,” Kander wrote on Medium. “But instead of celebrating that accomplishment, I found myself on the phone with the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line, tearfully conceding that, yes, I have had suicidal thoughts. And it wasn’t the first time.”

Kander served as an Army Intelligence Officer in Afghanistan before leaving the army 11 years ago. His book about his service Outside the Wire, became a bestseller this summer. However, about four months ago Kander says he reached out for help, saying “my tour over there still impacted me every day.”

“I can’t have PTSD, I told myself, because I didn’t earn it,” he wrote. “But, on some level, I knew something was deeply wrong, and that it hadn’t felt that way before my deployment. After 11 years of this, I finally took a step toward dealing with it, but I didn’t step far enough.”

Kander filled out forms online to get treatment from the VA.

“But I left boxes unchecked — too scared to acknowledge my true symptoms,” he wrote. “I knew I needed help and yet I still stopped short. I was afraid of the stigma. I was thinking about what it could mean for my political future if someone found out. That was stupid, and things have gotten even worse since.”

Kander served as Missouri’s secretary of state from 2012 to 2016, defeating an incumbent Republican in the conservative state. Last year he started Let America Vote, a voting rights group. He will also be stepping back from day to day operations of that organization while he gets treatment.

“I’m done hiding this from myself and from the world. When I wrote in my book that I was lucky to not have PTSD, I was just trying to convince myself. And I wasn’t sharing the full picture. I still have nightmares. I am depressed,” Kander wrote. “Instead of dealing with these issues, I’ve always tried to find a way around them. Most recently, I thought that if I could come home and work for the city I love so much as its mayor, I could finally solve my problems. I thought if I focused exclusively on service to my neighbors in my hometown, that I could fill the hole inside of me. But it’s just getting worse.”

Kander said he knew that he wanted to be upfront about why he’s leaving the race.

“I decided to be public for two reasons: First, I think being honest will help me through this. And second, I hope it helps veterans and everyone else across the country working through mental health issues realize that you don’t have to try to solve it on your own,” he wrote. “Most people probably didn’t see me as someone that could be depressed and have had PTSD symptoms for over decade, but I am and I have. If you’re struggling with something similar, it’s OK. That doesn’t make you less of a person.”

Read Kander’s full announcement here.

View the original article at thefix.com

4 October 2018